| The new Jaguar XF has won the coveted What | | | | a very special day for Jaguar. We're back." |
| Car magazine Car of the Year 2008 award, | | | | What Car isn't alone in praising the new Jag over |
| beating off stiff competition from rivals BMW and | | | | its executive peers. |
| Mercedes. | | | | In a three-way Auto Express group test against |
| What Car stipulate that the winner of the award | | | | the Mercedes E280 CDI and BMW 525 M Sport, |
| "must have done more than anything else from | | | | the 2.7 diesel version of the XF again emerged |
| the past 12 months to move things on". | | | | triumphant. |
| Jaguar is a mere cottage industry alongside the | | | | Despite being the cheapest of the three, Auto |
| mighty Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Yet its | | | | Express described the car as "brilliant: superbly |
| replacement for the retro styled S-Type was | | | | designed inside out, as well as fantastic to drive in |
| considered to have beaten the best the | | | | all conditions and cost effective to buy and run. |
| company's German rivals could offer. | | | | Jaguar should be immensely proud of its |
| This is even more of an achievement when set | | | | achievement." |
| against the backdrop of uncertainty over Jaguar's | | | | "We're proud to say the XF is a British |
| future, with the sale of the company by owners | | | | world-beater" the mag concluded. |
| Ford now imminent - most likely to Indian motor | | | | There was more success in the recent What Car |
| group Tata. | | | | awards for British-built models in other categories. |
| The magazine singled out in particular the way the | | | | Stable-mate Land Rover won the top award in |
| XF out-drives the previously unbeatable BMW 5 | | | | the compact 4x4 category with its Freelander |
| Series, which is saying something, but also | | | | model, while the Discovery took the accolade for |
| manages to be more supple on poor surfaces. | | | | best large 4x4. The Oxford-built MINI Cooper also |
| Accepting the award, Jaguar and Land Rover | | | | took the title in the hot hatch category. |
| managing director Mike O'Driscoll said, "This marks | | | | |